1. Egg Word Families
Take 6 plastic Easter Eggs and on one half write a word family in permanent marker and on the other half write the letter combinations that make up different words in that word family. Allow students to make words and say the words allowed while they are playing. This will familiarize the children with word families
Say the letter, say its sound, then say a word that makes a sound
Move, move, move girls and boys,
Move, move, move to the words that make noise
Onomatopoeia
A says
a
achoo, achoo
B says
b
boing, boing
C says
c
caw, caw
D says
d
ding-dong
E says
e
eck, eck
F says
f
fizzle, fizzle
G says
g
gobble, gobble
H says
h
ho, ho, ho
(Repeat Chorus)
I says
i
itch, itch
J says
j
jingle, jingle
K says
k
kapow, kapow
L says
l
lick, lick
M says
m
munch, munch
N says
n
neigh, neigh
O says
o
ooga, ooga
P says
p
ping, ping
(Repeat Chorus)
Q says
q
quack, quack
R says
r
ruff, ruff
S says
s
soowee, soowee
T says
t
toot, toot
U says
u
ugh, ugh
V says
v
vroom, vroom
W says
w
whoosh,whoosh
X says
x
xing, xing
Y says
y
yeehaw, yeehaw
Z says
z
zap, zap
(Repeat Chorus)
4. Family of Words Song:
Chorus: Hey, look we’re a family
We work as a family
Hey, look we’re a family
A family of words you see Let’s meet the at family
Words that end with "at"
We’ll give you the beginning sound
Then put them together with "at" What word does it make?
What word does it make?
b - at = bat
(Children respond) What word does it make?
What word does it make?
c - at = cat
(Children respond) (Repeat for the onsets of h, m, p, r, and s.) Repeat Chorus
Let’s meet the ug family
Words that end with "ug"
We’ll give you the beginning sound
Then put them together with "ug" What word does it make?
What word does it make?
b - ug = bug
(Children respond) (Repeat for the onsets of d, h, j, m, r, and t.) Repeat Chorus
5.Echo the Letter Sounds Everybody lets learn our letter sounds Sing all together after me right now
(Repeat Each Verse)
A says a apple B says b ball C says c cookie D says d doll E says e egg F says f fan G says g goose H says h hand
Chorus Echo the letter sounds Echo the letter sounds Learn the letter sounds right now Learn the letter sounds right now
I says i igloo J says jam K says k kite L says l lamb M says m monkey N says nickel O says o otter P says p pickle
(Chorus)
Q says q quarter R says r rain S says s sun T says t train U says u umbrella V says v van W says w walrus X says x like in fox Y says y yo yo Z says z zebra
That’s the last letter we’ll sing here
6.
7. Word Family Playdoh: The students will use the -at, -ot, -op families to make words out of playdoh. They will start by flattening up the playdoh. Then they will use their pencil to draw words of the the playdoh. 8. Glitter Words: Break students into groups of 4 or 5. Give each group a tube of glitter, glue, and a sheet of construction paper for each child. Give each group a different word family. Each child will make a word from that word family using the glue and construction paper. Once they are done writing the word in glue then they will sprinkle glitter over the glue to make the word. When they dry the students will share their words. After they share, the teacher will hang them up in the hallway.
9. Alphabetic Scavenger Hunt: Give students ten minutes and roam around the room to find words and objects that start with every letter of the alphabet. The class then collectively makes a list of the words and/or objects that they have found.
10. Sand Letters: The teacher gives each student a box with sand in it. Then the teacher tells them to trace the beginning letter in the sand of the word she calls out. The teacher will be walking around the classroom to check on the students.
11. This game is a group game that students can make words out of tile pieces
.
12. This is a hands on game that the student will make the word that matches the picture.
13. The Sound Shopping Trip
Listening for the first sounds in words is an important step in learning to connect language and reading.
What you'll need:
Magazines or catalogs with pictures of objects children know.
What to do:
Have your child choose a magazine or catalog. Invite your child to go on a make-believe shopping trip. Tell your child you will make believe you are shopping for things in the magazine.Have your child close his or her eyes. Point to an object on the page. Then have your child open his or her eyes. Ask "What are you going to buy?" If your child says, "A hat," ask, "What sound does hat start with?"
Then say, "Good. Hat starts with the sound h."
Repeat the steps, with each of you taking a turn shopping for something and then naming the first sound of the word that describes it.
14. Same Sounds Game
Before children can read words, they need to know the sounds of letters. This game gives children practice in matching sounds and letters.
What you'll need:
A set of index cards or pieces of paper on which you've written a few capital letters of the alphabet--one letter on each card. Make another set with the same letters. Start with 8 to 10 letters. Add more letters as your child learns more.
What to do:
Mix up the alphabet cards and place them face down on the table.Tell your child, "We're going to play a game in which you try to find two of the same sounds. When you find two that are the same and you say the sound, you get to pick up the cards. Let me show you how."
Turn over one card (for example, T ) and say the sound t. Turn over another card (for example, S) and say the sound s. Ask, "Are the sounds the same?" Your child says no. "That's right, they are not the same, so I don't get to pick them up."
"It's your turn to find the ones that are the same." Your child turns over one card and says the sound, then picks a second card and says the sound. If they are the same, your child gets to keep the cards. Then your child gets to pick two more cards. If the cards are not the same, turn the cards face down and have your child try again.
If your child does not know the sound, say "This sound is s."
The goal of the game is to pick up all the cards.
15. Letter-Sound Grab Bag
Here's another way to practice the sounds of letters. In this game, children practice naming letter-sounds correctly and quickly.
What you'll need:
A set of cards on which you've written some letters of the alphabet. (Start with just a few letters; add more letters as your child learns more.) A small paper bag. A timer or watch with a second hand.
What to do:
Put a few letters having sounds your child knows into a paper bag. Tell your child that you want to see how many sounds he or she can name in one minute."When I say Start, you reach into the bag and pull out one card. Say the sound and then reach in to get another. Keeping picking out the cards until I say Stop. If you don't know a sound, I'll tell it to you, and you put it back in the bag."
At the end of the minute, count the number of sounds your child named correctly.
If your child does not know a sound, say "This sound is s."
Do this game again. Encourage your child to name more sounds than the last time you played together.
16. Words I've Heard and Silly Words
When children learn to read, they use the letter-sounds they already know to make new words. In this game, children make words, some familiar and some not.
What you'll need:
Three containers (small boxes or margarine tubs). Small pieces of paper with letters that have sounds your child knows. Make several copies of the letters that are used often in words, such as a, s, t, r, e, n, i, g.
What to do:
Sit beside your child. Put the three containers in front of you. Place vowels in the middle container. Put consonants in the first and last containers.Tell your child, "We're going to make words using letters in these containers. Some will be words you've heard, and some will be silly words. I'll show you how to make a word."
Pick a letter from the first container and say its sound (for example, t). Pick a letter from the next container (for example, i). Pick a letter from the last container (for example, g). Now, I'll put the sounds together, tttiiig. The word is tig.
Ask your child, "Is that a word you've heard or is that a silly word? That's right, it's a silly word."
"Okay, it's your turn to make a word." Have your child select a letter from each container and make new words.
17. Letter Swap
Good readers learn to recognize and make new words by swapping letters within words. In this activity, children build new words by swapping letter-sounds.
What you'll need:
Two words written in large print. The first word is a whole word (such as sat). The second word has a blank for the first letter (_at). A set of letters (g, s, t, m, p, r, h, f, k, l) with each letter written on a separate piece of paper.
What to do:
Sit beside your child. Put the large-print words in front of your child.sat
_at
Say, "We're going to see how many words we can make like sat. I'll pick a letter from the pile. My sound is r. I can change sat to rat. Put the r in the blank space in front of at."
Have your child do this again, picking different letters and making new words. Change to a new word such as map or fill.
Do this activity often with new words.
18. Word Tag
It is important for children to read words in sentences and stories, so they realize that reading is about understanding.
What you'll need:
An easy-to-read story with many words your child can already sound out or read.
What to do:
Tell your child, "In this story, I'll read some of the words and you'll read some words. When it's your turn to read a word, I will tap your shoulder." Start reading. As you come to a word that your child can read, tap the child's shoulder.
Keep taking turns reading the story. You can go back and reread parts of the same stories for extra practice.
19. This is a Phonics Book: This is for Phonics centers with small groups:
For high level thinking: Make books shaped as an object that starts with a particular letter that you are studying. Have the children to fill each page of the book with words and pictures of things that begin with that letter. Some may not be ready to write on their own so at the beginning of the lesson make a class word/picture list of things beginning with that letter. The children can copy or come up with new ones on their own.
20. Spinning Short Vowel Word Game
Suggested Grades
K-2
Objective
Students will recognize, create, and write short vowel words by using three spinners.
Materials
three spinners labelled as follows: 1st spinner: t, b, c, d, f, h, m, p, r, and s 2nd spinner: a, e, i, o, u, a, e, i, o, and u 3rd spinner: the same as the first spinner
pencils
2 pieces of paper per student
Method
This game can be played in pairs or small groups.
Each player takes a turn by spinning each spinner once in order (1st spinner, 2nd spinner, then 3rd spinner). The player then writes down each letter that the spinner stopped on on their rough piece of paper.
If a word is formed by the three letters, the player writes the word down on their good sheet of paper, and then the next player spins. If not, they lose a turn and the next player spins.
The student with the most number of correct words on their paper, at the end of a set amount of time, wins.
Take 6 plastic Easter Eggs and on one half write a word family in permanent marker and on the other half write the letter combinations that make up different words in that word family. Allow students to make words and say the words allowed while they are playing. This will familiarize the children with word families
2. Vowel in every syllable song
3. Onomatopoeia Alphabet Song:
Zoom, Zoom, Zoom, Kaboom
Do the Onomatopoeia Alphabet Chorus
Boo, boo, boo, choo, choo
Onomatopoeia Alphabet
Say the letter, say its sound, then say a word that makes a sound
Move, move, move girls and boys,
Move, move, move to the words that make noise
Onomatopoeia
(Repeat Chorus)
(Repeat Chorus)
(Repeat Chorus)
4. Family of Words Song:
Chorus:
Hey, look we’re a family
We work as a family
Hey, look we’re a family
A family of words you see
Let’s meet the at family
Words that end with "at"
We’ll give you the beginning sound
Then put them together with "at"
What word does it make?
What word does it make?
b - at = bat
(Children respond)
What word does it make?
What word does it make?
c - at = cat
(Children respond)
(Repeat for the onsets of h, m, p, r, and s.)
Repeat Chorus
Let’s meet the ug family
Words that end with "ug"
We’ll give you the beginning sound
Then put them together with "ug"
What word does it make?
What word does it make?
b - ug = bug
(Children respond)
(Repeat for the onsets of d, h, j, m, r, and t.)
Repeat Chorus
5.Echo the Letter Sounds
Everybody lets learn our letter sounds
Sing all together after me right now
(Repeat Each Verse)
A says a apple
B says b ball
C says c cookie
D says d doll
E says e egg
F says f fan
G says g goose
H says h hand
Chorus
Echo the letter sounds
Echo the letter sounds
Learn the letter sounds right now
Learn the letter sounds right now
I says i igloo
J says jam
K says k kite
L says l lamb
M says m monkey
N says nickel
O says o otter
P says p pickle
(Chorus)
Q says q quarter
R says r rain
S says s sun
T says t train
U says u umbrella
V says v van
W says w walrus
X says x like in fox
Y says y yo yo
Z says z zebra
That’s the last letter we’ll sing here
6.
7. Word Family Playdoh: The students will use the -at, -ot, -op families to make words out of playdoh. They will start by flattening up the playdoh. Then they will use their pencil to draw words of the the playdoh.
8. Glitter Words: Break students into groups of 4 or 5. Give each group a tube of glitter, glue, and a sheet of construction paper for each child. Give each group a different word family. Each child will make a word from that word family using the glue and construction paper. Once they are done writing the word in glue then they will sprinkle glitter over the glue to make the word. When they dry the students will share their words. After they share, the teacher will hang them up in the hallway.
9. Alphabetic Scavenger Hunt: Give students ten minutes and roam around the room to find words and objects that start with every letter of the alphabet. The class then collectively makes a list of the words and/or objects that they have found.
10. Sand Letters: The teacher gives each student a box with sand in it. Then the teacher tells them to trace the beginning letter in the sand of the word she calls out. The teacher will be walking around the classroom to check on the students.
11. This game is a group game that students can make words out of tile pieces
.
12.
13. The Sound Shopping Trip
Listening for the first sounds in words is an important step in learning to connect language and reading.Then say, "Good. Hat starts with the sound h."
14. Same Sounds Game
Before children can read words, they need to know the sounds of letters. This game gives children practice in matching sounds and letters.Turn over one card (for example, T ) and say the sound t. Turn over another card (for example, S) and say the sound s. Ask, "Are the sounds the same?" Your child says no. "That's right, they are not the same, so I don't get to pick them up."
"It's your turn to find the ones that are the same." Your child turns over one card and says the sound, then picks a second card and says the sound. If they are the same, your child gets to keep the cards. Then your child gets to pick two more cards. If the cards are not the same, turn the cards face down and have your child try again.
If your child does not know the sound, say "This sound is s."
The goal of the game is to pick up all the cards.
15. Letter-Sound Grab Bag
Here's another way to practice the sounds of letters. In this game, children practice naming letter-sounds correctly and quickly.At the end of the minute, count the number of sounds your child named correctly.
If your child does not know a sound, say "This sound is s."
16. Words I've Heard and Silly Words
When children learn to read, they use the letter-sounds they already know to make new words. In this game, children make words, some familiar and some not.Pick a letter from the first container and say its sound (for example, t). Pick a letter from the next container (for example, i). Pick a letter from the last container (for example, g). Now, I'll put the sounds together, tttiiig. The word is tig.
Ask your child, "Is that a word you've heard or is that a silly word? That's right, it's a silly word."
17. Letter Swap
Good readers learn to recognize and make new words by swapping letters within words. In this activity, children build new words by swapping letter-sounds._at
Say, "We're going to see how many words we can make like sat. I'll pick a letter from the pile. My sound is r. I can change sat to rat. Put the r in the blank space in front of at."
18. Word Tag
It is important for children to read words in sentences and stories, so they realize that reading is about understanding.For high level thinking: Make books shaped as an object that starts with a particular letter that you are studying. Have the children to fill each page of the book with words and pictures of things that begin with that letter. Some may not be ready to write on their own so at the beginning of the lesson make a class word/picture list of things beginning with that letter. The children can copy or come up with new ones on their own.
20. Spinning Short Vowel Word Game
Suggested Grades
Objective
Materials
1st spinner: t, b, c, d, f, h, m, p, r, and s
2nd spinner: a, e, i, o, u, a, e, i, o, and u
3rd spinner: the same as the first spinner
Method